From the TdS Challenge to the Road World Championship and back

6. May 2019

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Marlen Reusser, former time trial Swiss champion, used last year’s TdS Challenge as an optimal race preparation for the Road World Championship in Innsbruck.

In the spring of 2018, a severe fall with pelvic and back fractures threw Marlen Reusser off track. Several operations and a long rehab followed. Participation in the World Championship in Innsbruck was acutely endangered. A bitter setback in the still young sports career of the then reigning Swiss time trial champion.

Her way back led almost directly from rehab to the original route of the Tour de Suisse team time trial in Frauenfeld. Despite her lack of form, she even enjoyed the time trial on the closed professional track on the first TdS Challenge day.
The following two road races – where she tried to keep up with the ambitious men – proved to be the hardest and most painful hours on the bike.

The hard training paid off and Marlen Reusser finished in the top 20 at her first time trial world championship in Innsbruck.
For the new season, Marlen Reusser has put everything into cycling. In spring she competed in her first races at the highest international level with the WCC CMC UCI team.

If it is compatible with her team’s racing calendar, Marlen Reusser will be competing in the TdS Challenge in Langnau i.E. again in June.
She raves about the professional framework of the TdS Challenge races, which are continuously cordoned off and signposted – she is used to completely different conditions from hobby races.
Especially for women, it is a great opportunity to get into the otherwise rare pleasure of professional conditions and to experience professional cycling close to your own body – whether you are very ambitious or are competing in your first race.

Marlen Reusser knows all about the high hurdles women face in bicycle racing. When she toyed with the idea of joining a cycling club or taking part in the local cycle race, she was advised against it by all sides: That’s where the fast guys ride.
Fortunately, she didn’t let that put her off!

The TdS Challenge weekend 2019
1st stage | Sat 15.6. in Langnau i.E.: Single time trial: 9,5km/68hm
Stage 2 | So. 16.6. in Langnau i.E: road race: 80km/994hm

Further information & registration for the TdS Challenge can be found here:
www.tourdesuisse.ch/de/challenge/anmeldung/